LINCOLN, Neb. – Pheasants Forever and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host a meeting Feb. 19 to discuss the formation of a prescribed burn association covering Butler and Saunders counties.

The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Oak Creek Sporting Club southeast of Brainard.

With the increase in demand and need for prescribed burning to improve wildlife habitat, increase pasture forage value, restore native woodlands, control eastern red cedars, and reduce the overall impacts of potential wildfires, this meeting will outline ways landowners can organize a prescribed burn association to conduct burns using the neighbors-helping-neighbors concept. This partnership between Pheasants Forever, Game and Parks and the Nebraska Environmental Trust will break down limitations to prescribed burning.

The formation of a landowner-based prescribed burn association would offer landowners new opportunities to improve their CRP, rangeland, woodlands and wetlands through the use of safe and effective prescribed burning. Through the burn association, landowners would have access to resources such as equipment, manpower, expertise and support from resource professionals. Prescribed burn training would be offered for all of those who join.